Recreation Grants Program - 1998 Allocations and Appeals

City Council on July 8, 9 and 10, 1998, deferred consideration of the recommendations of the Municipal Grants Committee embodied in the following transmittal letter dated July 9, 1998, from the City Clerk, to its next regular meeting to be held on July 29, 1998:

--------

(Additional Communication considered withClause No. 28 of Report No. 10 of the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee)

Recommendation:

The Municipal Grants Review Committee recommends the adoption of the attached report (July6,1998) from Councillor Gloria Lindsay Luby, Chair, Municipal Grants Review Committee, respecting the grant appeal from the Weston Minor Hockey League (Grant No. 89), subject to adding the words "and any other cost saving measures" to Item No. (3) under the actions suggested in the body of the report of the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, so that such item reads as follows:

"(3)Parks and Recreation Division staff will assist Weston Minor Hockey League with the development of a fund raising plan and any other cost saving measures;";

and reports having taken no action with respect to the recommendation contained in the report dated July 6, 1998, from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism regarding the grant appeal of Christie-Ossington Neighbourhood Centre (Grant No. 16), viz.:

"That Christie-Ossington Neighbourhood Centre be funded up to $6,000.00 from the grants contingency, if appropriate.",

having regard that the adoption of such recommendation lost on a tie vote.

The Municipal Grants Review Committee further reports, for the information of Council, having requested the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism to submit a status report to the Municipal Grants Review Committee in September or October, 1998, on the issues related to the Weston Minor Hockey League's appeal.

Background:

The Municipal Grants Review Committee on July 9, 1998, had before it the following reports and communications:

-(July 6, 1998) from Councillor Gloria Lindsay Luby, Chair, Municipal Grants Review Committee, responding to the request to report on the outcome of the meeting held with the Management Board of the Weston Lions Arena, and on other issues related to the appeal of the grant for the Weston Minor Hockey League (Grant No. 89);

-(June 30, 1998) from the Interim Secretary, Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, advising that the Committee on June 30, 1998, submitted to Council, without recommendation, the recommendation of the Municipal Grants Review Committee respecting the Recreation Grants Program - 1998 Allocations and Appeals; and further requested the Municipal Grants Review Committee to reconsider a grant of $6,000.00 to the Christie-Ossington Neighbourhood Centre (Grant No. 16) and to clarify where "duplication of services" exists in that neighbourhood and report to Council on July 8, 1998, at the time the Recreation Grants Program is considered; and

-(July 6, 1998) from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism respecting the grant appeal from the Christie-Ossington Neighbourhood Centre.

The following persons appeared before the Municipal Grants Review Committee in connection with the foregoing matters:

-Councillor Frances Nunziata, York - Humber, regarding the grant appeal of the Weston Minor Hockey League, and requested one-time additional funding in the amount of $10,000.00 for the League; and

-Ms. Lynn Daly, Christie-Ossington Neighbourhood Centre.

(Report dated July 6, 1998, addressed to theMunicipal Grants Review Committee from Councillor Lindsay Luby, Chair.)

Purpose of Report:

To report on the outcome of meetings with the Management Board of the Weston Lions Arena and other issues related to the appeal of the grant for the Weston Hockey League.

Funding Implications:

There are no financial implications of this report.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1)the appeal from the Weston Minor Hockey League be denied;

(2)the staff from the Parks and Recreation Division continue to work with the Weston Minor Hockey League on funding alternatives, revenue generation, and ice allocation;

(3)the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism report to the Economic Development Committee with an update on the status of the City's relationship with the Arenas that are operated by Boards of Management, and related community minor sport issues; and

(4)the appropriate City officials be authorized to give effect thereto.

Comments:

As directed by the Municipal Grants Review Committee, I met with the Board of the Weston Lions Arena along with several staff from the Parks and Recreation Division on June 23, 1998, to discuss the issue of the rental rates for the Weston Minor Hockey League for use of the Weston Lions Arena.

This issue is quite complex. The Board of Management of the Lions Arena is fulfilling its mandate of operating this facility on a cost-recovery basis and is charging what they feel to be an appropriate rental fee. This rental fee of $168.00 per hour is the highest rate for a community based league of any Board or City operated facility in Toronto, but is still less than the private sector rinks in Toronto. The City-operated rinks have a $92.00 per hour rate for community based leagues, and this is part of the complexity of this issue.

At the meeting, the following actions were suggested and have been acted upon:

(1)that the Parks and Recreation Division Staff meet with the Weston Minor Hockey League to discuss possible solutions;

(2)Weston Minor Hockey League should request a grant from the Lions Club and the Arena Board of Management (this had been granted up until three years ago but application has not been made in the last three years);

(3)Parks and Recreation Division staff will assist Weston Minor Hockey League with the development of a fund-raising plan; and

(4)Weston Minor Hockey League should examine its fees and consider raising them to be more in line with other clubs in the area.

Subsequent to the initial meeting, a number of other possibilities have been initiated. These include:

(1)Alternate ice times for practices and games will be investigated at City-operated rinks outside of York, but within the catchment area of the League. This may reduce ice time costs for the league.

(2)Weston Minor Hockey League will be provided with the details on how to apply for subsides from the Ian (Scotty) Thomson Children's Fund to offset the cost of participation for individuals who may face financial barriers.

(3)The Parks and Recreation Division will be providing a presentation to the Board of the Weston Minor Hockey Association on fund-raising alternatives.

It should be noted that the $168.00 per hour rate has not changed in the last several years and it is paid by other minor sports leagues using this facility including the Weston Skating Club.

Although these measures will assist the Weston Minor Hockey Association in improving their financial position, they will not address the wider issue of the governance of the Boards of Management Operated Facilities and the resulting financial inequities to the minor sports groups of the City. I am suggesting that the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism report on this more complicated issue this fall.

Conclusion:

This issue is clearly not appropriate to be addressed through the Municipal Grants Process. The flat line approach to the $10,000.00 grant to the Weston Minor Hockey League is appropriate since nothing has changed in the way of rental rates or fees over 1997, and, more importantly, an increase in a grant to this organization would create a parade of grant appeals from other community sports leagues who may find themselves in a similar situation.

The interim list of actions proposed at the meetings is appropriate and already in motion. I am suggesting that the longer term implications of this overall ice rate/arena governance issue be the subject of a more complete report from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism this fall.

(Report dated July 6, 1998, addressed to the Municipal Grants Review Committee, from the Commissioner of Economic Development, Culture and Tourism.)

Purpose:

To provide further detail and clarification with respect to appeal for funding.

Source of Funds:

Grant Review Committee.

Recommendation:

That Christie-Ossington Neighbourhood Centre be funded up to $6,000.00 from the grants contingency, if appropriate.

Background:

Christie-Ossington Neighbourhood Centre was not recommended for funding primarily because of the direction given to staff that minor grant recreation recipients in 1997 were a priority. Since Christie-Ossington was a new application, recommending funding was difficult in view of the fact that all of the funds were already allocated to community groups that were previously funded. Further, Christie-Ossington has been recommended for a total of $59,832.00 from other grants programs for specific initiatives.

The request for the recreation grant was to operate a day camp called "The Nook" which has previously operated at the Essex Public School, but will move to Christie Pits this summer. There are other service providers in this area including several Parks and Recreation Department Providers. The Staff from the Parks and Recreation Division continues to work successfully in partnership with Christie-Ossington on a number of projects.

Comments:

In the Minor Recreation Grants Report to the Grant Review Committee, reference was made to duplication as part of the rationale for not recommending funding. In terms of clarification, the current involvement of four different recreation centres with Christie-Ossington in a variety of projects meant that a minor recreation grant would be another addition to the existing partnerships.

The recreation centres of Bob Abate, Joseph J. Piccininni, McCormick and Wallace Emerson work in partnership with and provide staff resources that we provide to support this and other community groups. This is a full partnership community developmental program that is unique in many ways.

Conclusions:

It is important to note that Christie-Ossington runs an excellent program that is needed by the community it serves. However, our guidelines are to provide funding for groups that we normally fund, and they have assumed over 90 percent of the allocated budget. If funding can be found from the contingency fund, then this community group should be supported up to the $6,000.00 level.

Contact Name:

Ken Jeffers, Community Services Administrator - 392-7019.